======================================================================= Hewlett-Packard OpenVMS ECO Release Notes ======================================================================= 1 KIT NAME: VMS84I_F11X-V0100 2 KIT DESCRIPTION: 2.1 Installation Rating: INSTALL_1 : To be installed by all customers. This installation rating, based upon current CLD information, is provided to serve as a guide to which customers should apply this remedial kit. (Reference attached Disclaimer of Warranty and Limitation of Liability Statement) 2.2 Reboot Requirement: Reboot Required. HP strongly recommends that a reboot is performed immediately after kit installation to avoid system instability. If you have other nodes in your OpenVMS cluster, they must also be rebooted in order to make use of the new image(s). If it is not possible or convenient to reboot the entire cluster at this time, a rolling re-boot may be performed. 2.3 Version(s) of OpenVMS to which this kit may be applied: OpenVMS for Integrity Servers V8.4 2.4 New functionality or new hardware support provided: No 3 KITS SUPERSEDED BY THIS KIT: - None 4 KIT DEPENDENCIES: 4.1 The following remedial kit(s), or later, must be installed BEFORE installation of this, or any required kit: - VMS84I_PCSI-V0300 - VMS84I_UPDATE-V0600 Page 2 4.2 In order to receive all the corrections listed in this kit, the following remedial kits, or later, should also be installed: - None 5 NEW FUNCTIONALITY AND/OR PROBLEMS ADDRESSED IN THE VMS84I_F11X-V0100 KIT 5.1 New functionality addressed in this kit 5.1.1 Additional consistency checks have been added to the File System's (F11BXQP) directory operations. 5.1.1.1 Problem Description: Reports have been received about inconsistencies in directory files. In some cases, the directory records were not in alphabetical sequence. In some cases, there were stale records. In some cases, records that should have been present were missing. In all these cases, the affected directory files were several hundreds to several thousands of blocks long, and contained long file names that were identical or very similar in their first 12-17 characters. The directories also contained many files with hundreds of versions. The problem has not been seen on engineering test systems as yet. Additional consistency checks have been added to the File System's (F11BXQP) directory operations. Where appropriate, the image has been enhanced to also report a warning to the system operator via OPCOM upon discovering directory inconsistencies. These OPCOM messages looks like the ones below: EVENT : DIRECTORY CORRUPTION DETECTED VOLUME LABEL = FOO DIR_FID = (123,0,0) DIR FILE NAME = FOO.DIR;1 MISSING FILE NAME = FOO1.TXT EVENT : DIRECTORY CORRUPTION DETECTED VOLUME LABEL = FOO DIR_FID = (123,0,0) DIR FILE NAME = FOO.DIR;1 Page 3 UNEXPECTED EFBLK UPDATE The SYSGEN parameter XQPCTLD7 is used to control the new behavior through setting bits 0, 1 and 2. The default value of XQPCTLD7 is ZERO, in which case the XQP uses a new internal counter to validate the number of Directory entries before and after a file create or delete operation. This default value should be appropriate for most systems. The only difference from previous XQP behavior is the additional validation described above. There is a negligible performance hit (under 1%) with this validation. If you have observed consistency issues with a directory file, and believe the issue is likely to recur in the near future, you may modify XQPCTLD7 as described below to help HP troubleshoot the issue. Setting Bit 0 causes the XQP to fill a known pattern in the unused blocks of a directory file. This enables the XQP to detect a directory inconsistency nearer the problem origin than otherwise. The performance impact of enabling this check, as observed in tests at HP, is around 3% for file create and delete operations, and negligible for other operations. Setting Bit 1 causes the XQP to request an inline bugcheck if it detects an inconsistency. This generates a system dump to aid HP engineering in root causing this issue. Bit 1 is clear (zero) by default and the XQP only reports an OPCOM message when it detects an inconsistency; the XQP does not request a bugcheck by default. Bit 2 is set to disable the new default behavior (XQPCTLD7=0) described above. XQPCTLD7 is a Dynamic SYSGEN parameter and any changes to it take effect without requiring a re-boot. This parameter applies to both ODS-2 and ODS-5 volumes. Images Affected: - [SYS$LDR]F11BXQP.EXE - [SYS$LDR]F11BXQP.STB Page 4 5.1.1.2 Quix and PTR cases reporting this problem: 5.1.1.2.1 Quix Cases QXCM1001064242 5.1.1.2.2 PTR(s) None. 5.1.1.3 Release Version of OpenVMS that will contain this change: Next release of OpenVMS Integrity after V8.4 5.1.1.4 Work-arounds: None. 5.1.2 Slower than expected directory lookup performance. 5.1.2.1 Problem Description: A user may experience slower than expected performance while creating, accessing or deleting files in a very large directory; a directory cataloging tens of thousands of files. This is related to how the directory index cache is created to help speed up directory lookups. Patch kits VMS732_F11X-V0500 and VMS821I_F11X-V0100, and OpenVMS V8.3 introduced a change that helped performance for the majority of systems. The systems that benefited from this change were sites that had very large directories in which the file names DID NOT VARY in the first two characters. However, a handful of systems may have experienced a decrease in directory lookup performance due to this change. This decrease in performance was reported in cases where the file names in these very large directories DID VARY in the first two characters. With this change we are allowing system managers to revert back to the older behavior if desired. Setting bit 3 in the dynamic SYSGEN parameter XQPCTLD7 will cause the file system to use the previous logic. By default this bit is clear, but it can be set with SYSGEN: $ MCR SYSGEN SYSGEN> USE ACTIVE SYSGEN> SET XQPCTLD7 8 SYSGEN> WRITE ACTIVE SYSGEN> EXIT $ or if rebooting: Page 5 $ MCR SYSGEN SYSGEN> USE CURRENT SYSGEN> SET XQPCTLD7 8 SYSGEN> WRITE CURRENT SYSGEN> EXIT $ Images Affected: - [SYS$LDR]F11BXQP.EXE - [SYS$LDR]F11BXQP.STB 5.1.2.2 Quix and PTR cases reporting this problem: 5.1.2.2.1 Quix Cases None. 5.1.2.2.2 PTR(s) 75-13-2314 5.1.2.3 Release Version of OpenVMS that will contain this change: Next release of OpenVMS Integrity after V8.4 5.1.2.4 Work-arounds: None. 5.2 Problems addressed in this kit 5.2.1 System crash with "PTRCNT, ACP block count exceeds retrieval pointer size" bugcheck. 5.2.1.1 Problem Description: Under certain scenarios, defragmenting a disk can lead system crash with "PTRCNT, ACP block count exceeds retrieval pointer size" bugcheck. Images Affected: - [SYS$LDR]F11BXQP.EXE - [SYS$LDR]F11BXQP.STB Page 6 5.2.1.2 Quix and PTR cases reporting this problem: 5.2.1.2.1 Quix Cases None. 5.2.1.2.2 PTR(s) 75-74-379 5.2.1.3 Release Version of OpenVMS that will contain this change: Next release of OpenVMS Integrity after V8.4 5.2.1.4 Work-arounds: None. 6 FILES PATCHED OR REPLACED: o [SYS$LDR]F11BXQP.EXE (new image) Image Identification Information Image name: "F11BXQP" Image file identification: "XQP V84R_RE CEN" Image build identification: "0100000071" linker identification: "Linker I02-37" Link Date/Time: 30-MAR-2012 11:42:42.93 Overall Image Checksum: 808EE552 o [SYS$LDR]F11BXQP.STB (new file) 7 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 7.1 Test/Debug Image Loss In the course of debugging problems reported to OpenVMS Engineering, customers may be given debug or point-fix images to install. Typically, these images do not have the same image generation flags contained in images released via the OpenVMS remedial patch process. Because of this, any debug or point-fix image that is in the SYS$COMMON area, will be replaced by any image of the same name installed by this kit. If this occurs, you will lose any functionality that is provided by the replaced image. If you wish to retain these debug or point-fix images, you can take the following steps: Page 7 o Prior to installing this kit, move the test/debug image(s) to be saved to the SYS$SPECIFIC area. o During kit installation, you will be asked if you wish to delete the image(s) in SYS$SPECIFIC. You should answer NO for each image that you want to keep. o After installation completes, but before rebooting the system (if required), move the image(s) from SYS$SPECIFIC back to SYS$COMMON. 7.2 Compressed File This kit is provided as a Self Extracting ZIPEXE kit. To expand this file to the installable .PCSI file, run the file with the following command: $ RUN VMS84I_F11X-V0100.ZIPEXE 7.3 Installation Command Install this kit with the POLYCENTER Software installation utility by logging into the SYSTEM account, and typing the following at the DCL prompt: PRODUCT INSTALL VMS84I_F11X[/SOURCE=location of Kit] Note that this kit will install with the /SAVE_RECOVERY_DATA option turned on. Using this qualifier will allow easy removal of the kit from the system in the event of problems. If you wish to disable this option you must use the /NOSAVE_RECOVERY_DATA qualifier on the PRODUCT INSTALL command. The /SAVE_RECOVERY_DATA qualifier is optional but highly recommended. Using this qualifier will allow easy removal of the kit from the system in the event of problems. The kit location may be a tape drive, CD, or a disk directory that contains the kit. The /SOURCE qualifier is not needed if the PRODUCT INSTALL command is executed from the same directory as the kit location. Additional help on installing PCSI kits can be found by typing HELP PRODUCT INSTALL at the system prompt. 7.4 Scripting of Answers to Installation Questions During installation, this kit will ask and require user response to several questions. If you wish to automate the installation of this kit and avoid having to provide responses to these questions, you must create a DCL command procedure that includes the following logical name definitions and commands: Page 8 o To avoid the BACKUP question, define the following: $ DEFINE/SYS NO_ASK$BACKUP TRUE o To avoid the REBOOT question, define the following: $ DEFINE/SYS NO_ASK$REBOOT TRUE o To save replaced files as *.*_OLD define the following logical name as YES. If you do not wish to save replaced files, define the logical name as NO. Note that if you use the /SAVE_RECOVERY_DATA qualifier (recommended) on the PRODUCT INSTALL command all replaced files will be saved as part of that operation. There is no need to also save files as *.*_OLD: $ DEFINE/JOB ARCHIVE_OLD NO o Add the following qualifiers to the PRODUCT INSTALL command and add that command to the DCL procedure. /PROD=HP/BASE=I64VMS/VER=V1.0 [/SOURCE=location of Kit] o De-assign the logical names assigned For example, a sample command file to install the VMS84I_F11X-V0100 kit would be: $ DEFINE/SYS NO_ASK$BACKUP TRUE $ DEFINE/SYS NO_ASK$REBOOT TRUE $ DEFINE/JOB ARCHIVE_OLD NO $! $ PROD INSTALL VMS84I_F11X/PRODUCER=HP/BASE=I64VMS/VER=V1.0" $! $ DEASSIGN/SYS NO_ASK$BACKUP $ DEASSIGN/SYS NO_ASK$REBOOT $! $ exit $! 8 COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER: (C) Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Confidential computer software. Valid license from HP and/or its subsidiaries required for possession, use, or copying. Consistent with FAR 12.211 and 12.212, Commercial Computer Software, Computer Software Documentation, and Technical Data for Commercial Items are licensed to the U.S. Government under vendor's standard commercial license. Page 9 Neither HP nor any of its subsidiaries shall be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. The information in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind and is subject to change without notice. The warranties for HP products are set forth in the express limited warranty statements accompanying such products. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY THIS PATCH IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT, ARE HEREBY EXCLUDED TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. IN NO EVENT WILL HP BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST REVENUE OR PROFIT, OR FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, HOWEVER CAUSED AND REGARDLESS OF THE THEORY OF LIABILITY, WITH RESPECT TO ANY PATCH MADE AVAILABLE HERE OR TO THE USE OF SUCH PATCH.